BY ORDER OF THE SHAH

"Since early dawn he had fished the lake. Behind,
along the narrow path, wound a stream of pilgrims, bound
for the sacred shrine. He exchanged many a jest with
the passers-by, for they all knew him to be the eldest son
of the Monarch of Sultans and Sovereigns. The young
ones laughed the laugh of the impetuous, and envied him
as he sat there in his comfortable, everyday clothes, fishing;
whilst they had perforce to dress in tight, unfamiliar silks
and satins, to make obeisance. The old ones shook their
heads. The royal family was bound to come to grief
sooner or later. Never did they trouble to offer prayers to
Allah, even on this holiest of all holy days. One of the
pilgrims, an old retainer, stopped and asked if His Majesty
would be at the place of worship. The lad laughed.

" 'No, indeed/ he said. 'Our family does not worship.
Why should we ? We are strong enough to rule as we like,
and we have everything we want, without bowing to the
bones of any saint. My father has gone to-day to shoot
that wolf which has been plaguing our flocks near Kashan-
He has taken my second brother with him. Wait! At
last I have caught something.5

"He wound in his line with difficulty, expecting to see
a large and handsome fish struggling on the relentless hook
of indefinite fate. But no. All that met his disappointed
gaze was a fat wriggling reptile. So enraged was he that
he snatched his catch roughly off the hook, and flung it
into the well behind him.

"The passers-by tarried a moment.

" 'Look you,9 said Husein to one of them. cThis is no
fish that I have caught, but the Devil himself!D

"The peasant gazed into the well for some moments
before he answered gravely.

" cAye, your Royal Highness. Never have I seen the
fellow to this one. See! It has nine holes on each side
of the mouth. No good can come of such a catch, mark
my words. On a holy day too. Best throw it back into

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